2016 Cornas St Pierre
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Tasting notes
Blackberries, ground pepper, cured meats, and ample olive and leathery notes all emerge from the 2016 Cornas Domaine De Saint Pierre. It’s a classic Cornas with its black, wild, gamey profile. Possessing medium body, a silky, elegant texture, good acidity, and a great finish, it's another outstanding wine from this team that can be drunk today or cellared for a decade. The big news at this benchmark estate is the loss of winemaker Jacques Desvernois to Domaine Guigal. At the time of my tasting with Caroline Frey, there was no replacement, so it will be interesting to see who comes on board. They will certainly have big shoes to fill. Nevertheless, the estate has been on an incredible roll, with their sensational 2015s last year, and now two strong vintages with their 2016s and 2017s.
Critic scores
Average Score
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
Always the last Jaboulet parcel to be harvested (it's at the top of the appellation), the 2016 Cornas Domaine de Saint Pierre accents meaty, plummy fruit with hints of crushed stone and pencil shavings. It's fresh, vibrant, even crisp, on the long, tart finish.
(aged in 20% new oak) Glass-staining purple. Blackberry, cola, smoky Indian spices and potpourri on the powerfully scented nose. Intense black and blue fruit and salty olive flavors are complicated by suggestions of candied violet and cracked pepper. Finishes impressively long and gently sweet, featuring building tannins and lingering blue fruit and spice character.
Reductive stink, simplistic palate, firm tannin. Entirely underwhelming. (RH)